ENCINITAS, Calif. — As a teenager, Jeff Zevely spent a lot of hours in the water at Moonlight Beach. And even back then, it was obvious to those who knew him, that Jeff was destined to ride a wave of success.
“Jeff was pretty small, pretty scrawny,” said Mark Embree, Jeff's basketball coach at San Dieguito Academy.
But Mark says what Jeff lacked in size, he made up for with heart.
“He was a kid of integrity and Jeff showed it during the year. We'd have early morning practices and Jeff would be waiting for me - having ridden his bike from Leucadia with his sweatshirt on all covered up - just so he could be there when I got there,” Embree said.
Jeff joined CBS 8 in 2002 and regularly tells stories from his childhood neighborhood, making Encinitas proud.
His creative storytelling and support for the community caught the attention of city leaders, who honored him Wednesday night with a proclamation. Those who have met Jeff say he’s definitely deserving.
“Somebody that's a local guy that has supported the whole city for so many years and then continues to support the city and be part of everything that goes on is really, really, cool,” said Becky Becky Colvin at VG Bakery.
Jeff was no stranger at the popular donut shop… ordering a maple bar after surfing.
Unfortunately, most of Jeff's favorite lunch and dinner spots from his childhood are no longer around in Encinitas. He was a regular at places like Sub Palace and Karina's Taco Shop, but La Especial Norte is still here and for years they had a picture of Jeff on the wall with his teammates from a youth soccer league.
Not only did Jeff surf and play basketball, he was also a star volleyball player… both at the beach and for his high school. Fittingly, today Jeff regularly spikes the competition with his reporting skills.
“What happens when you get a talented San Diego Journalist and you bring him home and let him tell stories that show the best in people? Well you have the Zevely Zone and we're lucky to live in it,” said CBS 8 anchor Carlo Cecchetto.
Marcella Lee agrees that Jeff is an asset to the newsroom and deserving of the proclamation. “You uplift all of us with your compassion, your care, and the clever way you write, giving back to your community and your home town,” she added.
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